Thanks Tom! Digesting now.... feedback after checking it out. Much
obliged.
On Apr 15, 5:40 pm, Tom Worster <f...@thefsb.org> wrote:
> i have an ajax backend onto a mysql table with about 25 million rows,
> including three searchable indexed text columns. i want a form with three
> text input fields, each with autocomplete.
>
> 1) if all fields are blank when the user starts to type into one of them
> then normal autocomplete happens on that field, independent of the others.
>
> 2) but if the user focuses on an empty field after an autocomplete selection
> has been made in one or both of the other fields then a list of all distinct
> values in that column of the big table, constrained by the selection(s)
> already made, is immediately displayed without any typing.
>
> each of the three fields has class 'auto' and there are three blocks like
> this one:
>
> $('#field1').autocomplete('suggest.php', {
> extraParams: {
> p: 'field1',
> field2: function() { return $('#field2').data('chosen')
> ? $('#field2').val() : ''; },
> field3: function() { return $('#field3').data('chosen')
> ? $('#field3').val() : ''; } } });
>
> so the back end can figure what's being looked for and what the constraints
> are, if any.
>
> to make a list of suggestions display on focus for 2) i have:
>
> var lastfocus = '';
> $('.auto').setOptions({ minChars: 2}).focus(function(){
>
> if ( lastfocus != $(this).attr('id')
> && $(this).val() == ''
> && ( $('#field').data('chosen')
> || $('#field2').data('chosen')
> || $('#field3').data('chosen') ) )
> $(this).data('chosen', false).setOptions(
> {minChars: 0}).trigger('click').trigger('click');
> else
> $(this).setOptions({minChars: 2});
> lastfocus = $(this).attr('id');}).change(function(){
>
> $(this).data('chosen', false);
> lastfocus = $(this).attr('id');}).result(function(){
>
> $(this).data('chosen', true);
>
> });
>
> lastfocus is a hack: the focus event on a field triggers after a selection
> is made by clicking. i.e. with mouse selection focus moves to the list and
> then back to the text field. lastfocus deals with that.
>
> the 'chosen' data on each field indicates if the value in that field is one
> selected from the big table.
>
> two clicks are needed after setting minChars to 0 to display the list of
> suggestions. this is a quirk of the plugin.
>
> this is my first version of a script that seems to work in a way that
> wouldn't be too surprising to an unprepared user. i haven't given it much
> testing yet. comments and improvements would be welcomed.
>
> tom
